Tool Box

LMU School of Film and Television Wraps Third Annual Steed Symposium: The Business of the Business

The third annual Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television Conference, The Steed Symposium: The Business of the Business, was presented Friday, April 17, at the Mayer Theatre on the LMU campus.

The Steed Symposium, one of the signature series of innovative initiatives developed by SFTV Dean Teri Schwartz, expands the storytelling and artistic focus of SFTV by examining the business side of the creative process

The daylong event, focusing on the business of television – network, cable, reality and emerging media – was underwritten for the third year by LMU Alumnus Michael R. Steed, a member of the university’s board of trustees. Mr. Steed is the managing director of Paladin Capital Partners Fund, LP, a private equity firm.

“We are deeply appreciative for the generous financial support that Mike Steed has given SFTV to make this symposium possible. His contribution has enriched the lives of our students and our faculty,” said Dean Schwartz.

Steve Mosko, president of Sony Pictures Television, one of the industry’s most influential and respected media executives, delivered the opening keynote address.

“Steve’s remarks were so beautifully appropriate for the occasion because he spoke about his personal experiences and how they prepared him for a career in the entertainment industry. He also gave extremely helpful advice to our students as they endeavor to fulfill their professional aspirations,” stated Dean Schwartz.

The day’s panels were four extraordinary case studies. Creators, producers and network executives of the hit NBC primetime series “Heroes,” the groundbreaking Showtime drama “Dexter,” television’s first reality series “Cops” and high-level executives from Granada America, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), United Talent Agency (UTA), Sony Pictures Television Digital Networks, the National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) and other directors and writers took part in sessions hosted by senior editors from Variety, Hollywood Reporter and TV Week.

SFTV students and faculty received insightful behind-the-scenes information on the basics of deal-making, differences that exist between broadcast, cable and emerging media financial and content models, the role of packaging agents, the new approach to multi-platform distribution opportunities, marketing across traditional and new media platforms, and ways to best enhance career development for the next generation of media professionals.

Dean Schwartz commented, “At the SFTV we give our students an incomparable transformational educational experience that is largely focused on story and the creative side of film and television production, screenwriting, recording arts and animation. I strongly believe that having a sound understanding of how the business works is essential. Knowledge is power and without it, filmmakers can wind up losing control of their creative work and rights over time.

“I believe television is more powerful than ever because it is now a transformational tool and experience that allows us to share our stories across a multitude of traditional and digital platforms in ways we could not imagine before with a broader, more diverse audience representing vast cultural backgrounds and points of view.

“As a major film school, we should be on the cutting edge of where the world of media is going, all the while being mindful and respectful of our classical roots.

“To that end, a special day like BOB 2009 gives us the great opportunity to hear from some of the best leaders in the television and new media industries to help us think about where we are now and where we’re going for the future all around these important ideas.”